Nick Wright: Rob Gronkowski should hold out right now

When Rob Gronkowski isn’t beer bonging 40’s on party cruises, he moonlights as the most dominant tight end in the NFL. Barring a Hail Mary from Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Tom Brady will be suspended for the first four games of the season and Gronk will be more important to the Pats than ever.

In a league where earning years are limited, Gronkowski is locked up with the Patriots through 2019 in a miserable contract that will pay him $2.25 million this season because of a team option. His salary progresses to a meager $9 million in 2019 for the best tight end in the league.

Gronkowski tweeted his pleasure when the team picked up the option in March.

If ya think about it that Option pick up basically equals pay cut the next 4 seasons…?????? I don’t work hard for those reasons. Haha ???

Gronkowski signed the contract coming off several injury filled seasons, but based on his dominant last couple of seasons, Gronk need raise.

Today in The Herd, Nick Wright filled in for Colin and explained that it’s rare when a player has the leverage in an NFL contract negotiations, but Gronk’s got the hammer right now and should use it.

“If you’re Rob Gronkowski, now that the Tom Brady news is in, don’t you have to ask yourself, ‘How much leverage do I have?’ In a sport where players never have leverage, on a team that never gives the players leverage. When I’m locked up for four years, where I’m going to be making just under $9 million a year, best case scenario in these four years.

When guys like Mike Wallace make more than that. Randall Cobb. I know those are receivers, but he’s more impactful as a receiver, let alone the blocking. This is you’re one moment when you might actually have some leverage. ”

The idea that Gronkowski owes loyalty to the organization is laughable. Bill Belichick cut Wes Welker, Richard Seymour, and would cut Gronk with the emotion of one his press conferences if it made cap sense.

“There’s a little comeup’ins these Patriots have coming to them. Patriots have been doing this the other way around forever.”

In a sports world where Timofey Mozgov now makes $16 million per year, the idea of Gronk making $2 million this year just doesn’t sound right.